Side hustling is no doubt my absolute favorite way to earn extra money. Not only does side hustling allow me to give myself a raise and diversify my income, but it also always me to embrace my creative side in a way that my day job doesn’t.
While there are so many side hustle ideas and strategies out there to choose from, some people who are on the fence about side hustling wonder about the time and energy commitment required to make it work.
The money does sound nice, but setting aside the time and the energy to work after you’ve already completed a full work day may not appeal to everyone. I spend about 15-20 extra hours per week on my side hustle and while I’ve been dedicated to waking up early, cutting out time sucks, and scheduling out my priorities, some days I still feel super tired physically.
But I’ve been doing this for 15 months now and lately, I feel like I have a good momentum going – so good, that I’m planning on juggling my full-time job and my side hustle for a few more months just so I can save more and become even more prepared to make the leap into self employment.
If a side hustle is more of a necessity for you as it will help you pay off debt, save more, meet your current monthly expenses, or just become more financially stable, here are a few things I do to muster up enough energy to work 7 days per week between both jobs and still keep my sanity.
Table of Contents
Know When It’s Time to Go to Sleep
Sleep is very precious to me as it should be for everyone. It’s important to allow your body the proper amount of time to rest and decompress each night. For me personally, if I don’t get a good night of rest, I’m worthless in terms of productivity the following day.
Even though I wake up early, I try to organize my schedule so I can get to sleep by at least 10pm. If I happen to stay up later than that time, I always set my alarm clock to wake me up later so I still get an adequate amount of sleep.
Maximize your Natural Energy with the Time You Have Available
Everyone has that time of day where they feel naturally energized and motivated to work. Since my prime time is during the morning, I try to tackle my most difficult tasks early in the day when my energy level is highest.
Lately, I’ve been really good at doing this and I’ve been finishing up tons of freelance work before I even make it to my day job at 8am. It feels great to have the bulk of my work completed early in the day so I don’t have to force myself to become energized to do work that may become a mental strain later in the day.
If you’re not a morning person, I’d recommend hashing out all your work during the evening when you feel spurts of energy. Maybe even a cup of coffee would help at this time. Also, having a side hustle that’s flexible gives you a lot of control over your situation. If you are tired one evening or just don’t feel productive, skip working for the night and start fresh in the morning or alternate working during some mornings and some evenings during the week to match your energy levels.
Do Work That Fuels Your Creative Mind
The type of work you do can also affect the energy and motivation you have to get it done. With so many side hustle options out there, don’t feel the need to choose something that everyone else is having success with if you really don’t like it. Trust me, you won’t be motivated to do the work and motivation can fuel your energy level.
For example, I chose freelance writing as my leading side hustle because the work I do makes me feel inspired and creative. I’m proud of myself when I knock out a really good post and I’m excited to write about topics I enjoy and truly care about.
For example, I’m writing this particular post at 4:30 pm which is a time when I usually reach my productivity slump for the day. However, when I thought about covering this topic, I immediately felt like my energy revived itself because I’m usually excited to express myself through blogging and freelance writing.
Eat Great Food
Not just food that tastes great….eat food that is good for you as well. Your diet plays a huge role on your health and the type of energy you have throughout the day. Staying away from caffeine and sugary drinks helps me most.
Instead, I choose to eat foods with natural sugars and flavors like fresh fruit and yogurt. Choosing light and fresh foods and snacks to eat throughout the day won’t weigh you down and eat away at your energy. Woman’s Day reports that some of the most energizing foods include:
- Brown Rice
- Sweet Potato
- Apples
- Bananas
- Spinach
- Almonds
- Salmon
- Yogurt
Take Naps when Possible
This is another secret of mine. Naps aren’t just for kids. Despite how busy my schedule is, most weekends, I try to squeeze in time for an energy boosting nap rather than power through a work session that I start to resent.
I set my alarm to wake me up in about 90 minutes, then I knock out some more work and continue enjoying my night. Depending on your schedule, see when you can squeeze a nap in even if it’s just once a week.
Switch Up Your Location
Speaking of naps, doing work with the same surroundings day in and day out can become a snooze fest. If your side hustle is location independent, you can switch up your work location by working outside if the weather is nice or heading to your local library or favorite coffee shop.
A change of scenery can do wonders and since my ‘office’ is in my bedroom, it’s great to work out in public among other people and feed off their energy as well. Plus, I won’t have the temptation to walk five steps across the room and hop into bed instead 🙂
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Latoya says
You are so right about sleep. I don’t hesitate to choose sleep over wor because I’m no good without it. My best work comes when I’m well rested. I’m supposed to start work at 6:30 am, but on days when my husband is off work, I usually sleep in. My kids are terrible at keeping mama woke in the wee hours, but a perk from working at home is that my start time is flexible ad long as I’ve started before 9 am.
Choncé says
You’re working close to my dream schedule right now 🙂 I would love to work 6am-2pm because those are the hours when I’m most alert. At my FT job though, we’re allowed to start anytime between 8-10 am and I always try my best to get there at 8 because I just hate the thought of having to work until 6:30 in the evening. Starting at 8 is not that bad for my side hustle though because I knock out a good chunk of freelance work in the morning.
Jason Butler says
This is something that I struggle with. I have to prioritize my time better. I think I will actually start getting up earlier two days a week. If that works I may eventually start doing that 5 days a week. I also need to eat better snacks. I have to add more fruit to my diet.
Choncé says
Yeah you’ve mentioned wanting to get up earlier before. What time/days are you looking to do that? I know you’re an hour ahead of me but I try to get up around 5:15 so I can send you a wake up text for accountability, haha.
My Urban Family says
These are great tips. And it is amazing how much eating healthy does help with a productive day/week! You still amaze me though with the amount you get done all the time! Keep it up 🙂
Choncé says
Thanks! Yes, eating well is key and one of the main reasons why I believe I’m able to stay up so long during the day without coffee. It’s very rare that I drink coffee compared to the average person – maybe once or twice a month.
creativebugger1 says
Fantastic tips! There’s a reason one of my goals for the month is to eat 3 meals a day! I’m also thinking of creating a “mom’s work night out” for myself. There are so many places that offer free wifi to customers. While we are trying to pinch pennies, I think I can spare a couple of bucks for for ice cream once a week so I can go sit somewhere else and work instead of at my kitchen table, which means distractions from kids, husband, and cats.
Choncé says
That sounds like a good idea! You may even be able to check out some cafes in your area. At the very least, the library is great for getting out of the house and motivating yourself to work without having to spend a dime.
Tennille @ Two Kids And A Budget says
Those are great tips! I completely agree that if you don’t take time for yourself away from work, or side hustling you can’t be as productive as you would like to be. Your brain needs that break in order to function properly. I try to get up and walk away from the computer every afternoon giving myself a mental break and go play with my kids. Once they are in bed I can geo work, but if I over do it I can tell and then nothing gets done.
Choncé says
Well said! It’s hard for me to escape in the evenings this summer because my son is out of school and no longer goes to bed at 8pm 🙁 Thus, I try to get as much as I can done in the morning.
Latasha says
Awesome Tips, Chonce!!! I definitely agree we should take naps when possible! 🙂 I am going to take advantage of the quiet time I have now since me and my husband are excepting our first child this Oct! 🙂
Choncé says
Oh wow! Congratulations! Yes, enjoy this time before things get busy 🙂
Kirsten says
Back when I freelanced (and blogged regularly), I had to prioritize my day better. Gone were the days of watching TV, mindless Facebook surfing, and reading endless Internet news. I focused on my side hustles, and even when I let those fall away, I found that I had much more time in the day by giving up those time wasters.
Choncé says
Great point. I try to keep my side hustle work limited to the amount of time I have to complete it. Things have been somewhat slow this summer though so I’m trying to use my time wisely to work on projects and still get the proper amount of rest and leisure time.
Katasha @ broke girl rehab says
Oh, man – sleep. This was the first lesson I had to learn from freelancing – pulling all-nighters while working a full-time job was NOT working for me!
But, the experience definitely taught me some new things about my needs as a human! Great tips ????
Choncé says
I couldn’t even imagine doing that. I’m glad you’re finding some more balance though.
Francesca - From Pennies to Pounds says
I agree about sleep. I really need it or I get sooo grumpy. I never used to be like that but I just do so much now and I need patience with my daughter, lol. I am just making sure that I don’t do too much, and finding something flexible that you can take time out from is so important.
Choncé says
Very true!
theextraincomeproject says
I’m totally the same, I need my sleep. I love all your points though Choncé. I’m a real bugger for not knowing when to go to bed. I could honestly work through the night sometimes when my creative mojo is cranking! That said, you hit burnout eventually, I’ve learnt that lesson in the past and won’t make the same mistake again.
Diet was a big one for me. I have a few stresses going on and energy levels were low at the end of last year. I changed my diet at Xmas. I would eat a massive breakfast, normally lots of protein and leafy greens, then snack through the day on healthy food. That really helped my energy levels through the day. I cut out coffee and sugar too which helped balance my energy levels and avoid the crashes mid afternoon (have to say I’m back on the coffee, I love it too much). I find meditation or power naps are awesome but rarely make time, plus running was huge for me prior to an injury. A few years back I’d do at least an hour of running after work and come back absolutely pumped!
Have you ever heard of the Miracle Morning? It’s a book that’s been recommended to me that’s supposed to transform your focus and approach to your whole day to make you more productive. I’m keen to give that a shot. Would you be keen to pull together a bunch of bloggers and try it together?
Choncé says
I’ve done a good job of cutting out coffee but sugar is still on and off for me. I’ve never heard of Miracle Morning. I’d be open to giving it a shot and learning more about it!
DC @ Young Adult Money says
I’m not the best person to answer this question. I can answer “how do you make time?” really well, but honestly I cut back on sleep to get side hustles done, if needed, and sometimes it means being very tired when Friday rolls around. My biggest problem right now is that I’m a night owl, but traffic is SO much lighter in the morning so I typically go to work a bit earlier. Not sustainable!
Choncé says
I absolutely hate commuter traffic. This summer I leave to drop my son off at my mom’s around 7:15 am with the hopes of getting to work at 8. I can’t even take the expressway around this time because it’s packed so I take the side streets which adds more time to my commute. But since I’m the opposite of you and I like to work in the mornings, my strategy is to get to work as early as possible so I can leave first and beat some of that rush hour traffic. Even though I prioritize sleep, I’d be lying if I said I felt well rested all the time so I actually tend to come home from work on Fridays and take a power nap if I have nothing else going on.
Lorin says
This post describes what I am dealing with right now. I get out of work and after my daughter goes to bed that’s when I work on my freelancing. I usually have to push myself as I am tired by that time. Though when I get started on a post that interests me I find that I get a burst of energy. I appreciate you even mentioning some good foods for thought.
Choncé says
Sounds exactly like my situation. I am sooooo not a night person but if I am motivated, I can get a lot done from the hours of 8-10pm
Jen @ Frugal Millennial says
I love this! There are so many articles out there that recommend side hustling, and it’s definitely a great way to increase income, but it can be exhausting at times. People often don’t address that side of it, so I’m glad that you did! I love blogging as a side hustle because I’m passionate about it and I’m able to set my own schedule for the most part. If I’m too tired sometimes after a long day at work, I don’t have to work on the blog. I try to get the majority of my blog tasks done on the weekend because that’s when I have the most free time and energy. As an introvert, I don’t really mind “missing out” on other fun things on the weekend. I also make sure to eat healthy (I’m eating an apple as I type this), do yoga a couple times per week, and exercise regularly. Those things definitely help to keep my energy up!